The Precious Daughter

16. Duty

TREVOR

It was my duty to protect her at all cost, a commitment I intend to keep. It was an easy task back then, when she's at home with her family. But here, its getting harder protecting her not from the treat of the enemy but myself.

A bodyguard shall not come too intimate with the client, because getting too emotionally involved, may make us loose the ability to think and react professionally under a life threatening situation. I already cross that line once.

Ang akala ni Lizzy palagi akong nasa bukid at sumasama kina Manong Aldren. Truth is I'm just here and there nakabantay sa kanya. That's my job, I was being paid by her Dad to keep her safe.

I woke up in the middle of the night and I notice she's sleeping soundly beside me. How did we even fit in this bamboo sofa?

Maingat akong bumangon at binuhat siya papunta sa kwarto. She a lightweight.

Hinawi ko ang buhok na nakatabing sa mukha niya pagkatapos ko siya kumutan. She must be confused a hell and angry with me because of my actions.

" Good night beautiful." bulong ko sa kanya saka ko siya hinagkan sa noo.

The next day ay maaga akong gumising para maghanda ng almusal namin. Mabuti nalang Lizzy wasn't a picky eater. Sanay ito Kahit sa mga simpleng ulam. She doesn't complain about the food we usually have dito sa barrio.

" Good morning." bati ko sa kanya. Tila nagulat ito pero kalaunan ay ngumiti din.

" Good morning, maganda yata ang gising mo Agent Alonzo." aniya.

" Lets have breakfast." inilagay ko sa tabi niya ang kapeng hinanda ko. She like her coffee a bit black but with two teaspoon of creamer.

" Thank you." nagsandok na ito ng fried rice at kumuha nadin ng pritong itlog. " Someone get drunk last night." aniya.

" I'm sorry, local wine always knocks me out." sabay iling ko.

" It's fine, I'm not judging you or anything besides you also need to have a life aside from guarding me 24/7. Kasi kung nasa Manila tayo, I believe you have your day off." tila nalungkot ito sa huling sinabi.

" This will be over soon Lizzy." alam kong naiinip na din siya.

" When is soon? The last time I talked to Dad he said the same thing but when?" tumayo na ito kahit hindi pa ito tapos kumain.

" Hindi ko din alam Lizzy but soon' okay." umiling siya.

" I want to go back to my family, I want my Dad. No one wants me here anyway." naiiyak na sabi niya.

" That's not true. Come on sit and finish your food." pagiiba ko sa usapan.

" No, totoo naman, you don't want me here, you barely look at me. You only talk to me if you feel like talking. I'm alone here." tuluyan na itong umiyak.

" Lizzy.." tumalikod na ito saka pumasok sa kwarto. Sinundan ko siya.

" Being dead right now is way better, para nadin naman akong hindi na e exist. Atleast when I'm dead, I going to be with Mama and you'll have your life back." hinawakan ko siya sa balikat to face me.

" Don't say that. I have my life here with you." umiling ito.

" Stop saying things you don't mean just like doing things you don't mean at all." pinahid ko ang mga luha sa maganda niyang mukha.

" I'm sorry if I made you feel that way. But I do have a life here with you Lizzy. I choose to be here. " paano ko ba ipapaintindi sa kanya na, I'm exactly where I want right now.

" You are just saying that to make me feel better. I already know, I'm just some job to you." lumayo ito sa akin. Pero nahila ko siya pabalik, she landed in my arms.

Hinawakan ko ang mukha niya and claimed her lips. She was stunned but after a while she started to kiss me back.

" I like you a hell lot Elizabeth even though I wasn't allowed to like you." sabi ko pagkatapos siya halikan.

She smiled.

" You like me huh?" nagkulay rosas ang pisngi niya.

" Its against my job protocol' Lizzy." pinagdikit ko ang noo namin.

" Stop.. I like you a lot too, Agent Alonzo." ito na mismo ang tumawid ng distansiya sa pagitan namin.

We kissed again and then we hugged each other. She's so tiny in my arms.

" Kaya ba iniiwasan mo ako after my birthday?" tanong niya habang nakasiksik sa may dibdib ko.

" Oo, I feel bad for ignoring you but I kept on telling myself that its better that way." lalong humigpit ang pagkakayakap niya sa akin.

" And now?" aniya

" I still think that we shouldn't be doing this but I can't let you think that you don't matter to me Lizzy." hinagkan ko siya sa noo.

" Ah, so after this, dedeadmahin mo na naman ulit ako?" kumawala ito sa pagkakayakap ko saka penameywangan ako.

" Lizzy, you have to understand. Your Dad won't approved of this, he hired me to protect you." inis na lumabas siya ng kwarto.

" Do you think, my Dad would approved if I pick some random guy from this Barrio instead?" may nakakalokong ngiti ito.

" What? what do you mean?" litong tanong ko.

" If you're scared of my Dad, maghahanap nalang ako ng iba, yong kaya akong ipaglaban kay Dad. You think, Joshua could do that?" bigla akong nainis na sinabi niya.

" What are you saying? Gusto mo ang Joshua na yon?" tumawa siya.

" Well he's cute... heyyyyy" hindi ko na pinatapos ang sasabihin niya. I pull her close and hold her waist.

" No, lulumpuhin ko ang Joshua na yon sa susunod na lalapit siya sayo." natatawang hinawakan niya ang mukha ko.

" Tsk! All this time kaya mainit ang ulo mo kay Joshua, you're jealous? " tila natutuwa pa ito sa nalaman.

" None of this is funny' Lizzy." Lalo niyang kinulong ang mukha ko sa palad niya.

" He's not my type. You are." saka nito pinaulanan ng halik ang mukha ko..